Easter Recipe: Hot Cross Pancakes

It's Easter season again! Here's a delicious recipe for hot cross pancakes that you and your family can enjoy.

Hot Cross Pancakes

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

1 cup buttermilk

1 large egg

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/4 cup dried currants

1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest

1 teaspoon fresh orange zest

butter and oil for cooking

pure maple syrup for serving

For Cream Cheese Cross:

4 ounces (1/2 cup) cream cheese, softened to room temperature

2/3 cup powdered sugar

2 tablespoons milk or heavy cream

In a small bowl whisk together butter, buttermilk, egg, and vanilla extract. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. Add the wet ingredients all at once to the dry ingredients. Stir to combine. It’s ok if the mixture is a bit lumpy. Add the currants and fruit zest and stir to combine. Allow mixture to sit for 5 minutes while the griddle heats.

Preheat oven to 150 degrees F. Place a oven-proof plate in the oven. This is where the pancakes will stay warm while the entire batch is cooked.

Heat a griddle (or nonstick skillet) over medium heat. Add about a teaspoon of butter and a splash of vegetable oil. Heat until fat is hot. Spoon 2 tablespoons of batter onto the griddle for each pancake. Fry until golden brown on each side, flipping once. Place cooked pancakes on the warm plate in the oven and cover with a clean towel. Place a bit more oil or butter in the pan after each batch of pancakes are cooked.

To make the cream cheese mixture, stir together the three ingredients in a small bowl. Place in a pastry bag with a medium round tip. If you don’t have a pastry bag, a ziplock freezer bag with the corner tip cut off is a good substitute.

Top stack of pancakes with cream cheese cross. Serve warm with maple syrup.